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AG News

Groundbreaking black minister, Bob Harrison, dies

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 - 1:41 PM CST

Born January 23, 1928, in
San Francisco, California, Harrison was a pioneer in the Assemblies of God,
known for paving the way for blacks to become credentialed ministers.

Throughout his ministry,
Harrison continually challenged blacks to carry the cross of Christ.

Harrison enlisted in the
U.S. Army and served from 1946-1947. As part of the Army band, he became a very
talented musician — a skill he would later use in ministry.

Following his service, he enrolled
in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, earning a bachelor's degree in
Music.

Harrison then attended
Bethany Bible College (now Bethany University), receiving a certificate of
theology in 1951. He was the first African-American to graduate from the
school.

While attending college he
met and later married Marilyn Betty Miller in 1952. Together they have five
children - Keith, Carol, Adrienne, David and Stephen.

Harrison served as pastor of
an Emmanuel Church in San Francisco, an independent church, since
he was originally denied credentials to serve in the AG. However, through the
efforts of Northern California-Nevada District Superintendent Leonard Palmer,
Harrison was licensed in 1957.

Bob Harrison (left) with evangelist Billy Graham in 1962.

In 1960, Harrison became a
part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and then worked in special
evangelistic crusades in Africa. He also conducted gospel crusades and musical
concerts in Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, Asia and the United States.

Harrison was finally granted
ordination with the Assemblies of God in 1962 and approved for service under
missionary appointment by the AG Foreign Missions Department (now AG World
Missions) in 1964.

In Harrison's overseas work
with the AG, he held crusades in Japan, Formosa, Hong Kong, the Philippines,
Singapore, British Honduras (now Belize), Jamaica and Barbados. He also
ministered to thousands of American troops in Vietnam.

In 1967, Harrison spoke at
the General Council in Long Beach, California.

In the following years, Harrison
and others, working with the Division of Home Missions (now AG U.S. Missions),
reached out to the African-American community through inner-city evangelism.

Harrison then became pastor
of Maranatha Evangelistic Center in Portland, Oregon, in 1973.

In 1990, the National Black
Fellowship was formed in the Assemblies of God, and Harrison was appointed
national representative of Black Ministries.

Harrison's
memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 15, 2012, at the San Francisco Christian Center in San Francisco.